Picture frame



June 30, 1964 SHSELMAN 3,138,887

PICTURE FRAME Filed May 25, 1962 INVENTOR LOU/5 SP/SELMAN W WW AT Top/v5)! United States Patent 3,138,887 PICTURE FRAME Louis Spiselrnan, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Columbia Metal Frame (10., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed May 23, 1962, Ser. No. 196,947 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-1521) This invention relates to an improved metal or rigid picture frame, constructed of sections jointed together from a single strip to provide mitered corner meeting end edges, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a decorative masking corner which will conceal the diagonal corner meeting edges of the metal or other frame, and at the same time provide a smooth supporting slide outwardly offset from the side of the picture frame, so that the lowermost side of the picture frame will not have direct contact with the table or other object on which the picture frame is supported for display and scratching of the table or other supporting object by sharp metal or other projections of the picture frame will be avoided.

Metal picture frames are constructed of die-stamped strips. For decorative and esthetic reasons, the strips are often formed with irregular outer edges and may include small metal projections. Such edges and projections are capable of scratching or mutilating a table or other supporting surface when the picture frame slides thereon, even when in a normal upright position. This tends to diminish the customer interest in and acceptance of these frames. Various miter joint masking corner members have been developed, but these have been directed to other features of construction and other objects of service. The present invention is directed towards combining the miter corner masking feature with a smooth supporting slide action, in a single stamping, which permits mounting of the picture frame on a table or other support so that the metal picture frame can be inclined with its narrow end against the table, or with its longer side against the table, using the same slides.

Metal picture frames are preferred by millions of users, because very artistic ornamentation is possible with the sheet metal employed for these frames, and a lace-like pattern may be produced for the side and end bars of the frame. However, one disadvantage of these metal picture frames has been the tendency of the lowermost edge of the picture frame to scratch a piano or polished table, or other support, when the picture frame is manually shifted thereon. The present invention is directed towards eliminating this tendency to scratch by using slides for each corner, which blend nicely with the particular ornamentation of the metal frame, and which will always support the metal frame, whether positioned on the table or piano with its length horizontal or vertical, and to do this without adding to the cost of the finished picture frame, and in fact, by actually lowering this cost.

The present invention is particularly adapted to be used with metal picture frames wherein an ornamental metal strip of intricate, open filagreed configuration, commonly known as a gallery, is atfixed to the outer edges of the single strips that comprise the basic frame structure, by spot welding, or the like, to greatly enhance the appearance of the frame by providing a wide, artistic frame construction. It will be appreciated that the miter construction of the gallery corners is particularly objectionable since it spoils the entire effect of the gallery. It is therefore essential to provide a masking corner in this case also. Moreover, the gallery has a sharp irregular borderextending outward from the metal strips forming the basic frame, and the border can easily scratch the surface of the table.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification of the accompanying drawings which show the practical embodiment of invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a picture frame embodying the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the picture frame of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detail front elevation of the miter masking corner shown as applied to a frame gallery.

FIG. 3a is like FIG. 3 with the gallery omitted for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 4 is a detail rear elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4a is like FIG. 4 with the gallery omitted for purposes of clarity.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2 where there is shown a picture frame designated generally by the reference numeral 10 supported on a table T. The picture frame is made of a metal strip rolled to provide a channel, as viewed in cross-section, adapted to receive the conventional glass, picture, and backing member. The strip is notched at the corners of the channel sidewalls to permit the strip to be formed into a rectangular frame with mitered corners.

A decorative gallery strip 13 is then spot welded to each of the four sides of the frame 11. The four gallery strips also meet with mitered corners.

To conceal the miter joint 11a of each corner, a decorative cover or mask 12 is mounted over each joint. This cover or mask is shown to have tapered sides, and is of general triangular form, though it may be of any form. Theinner or smaller end of each corner or mask is spot welded or otherwise secured to the frame, and the wider or outer portion of each corner mask or cover may be spot welded or otherwise secured in place to gallery 13, so that the miter joints 11a are completely concealed on the front, or face, side of the picture frame.

The blank of sheet metal from which the mask or corner is made, is die stamped and shaped to provide a masking corner cover 12, having an L-shaped extension which is curled upon itself to provide a tubular slide 15a for one side or end of the picture frame, and another tubular slide 15b for the other side or end of the picture frame (FIGS. 3 and 4). This L-shaped extension is outset from the picture frame at its corner, and to provide for non-buckling, bending, or curling of the metal of the corner masking cover 12, a miter joint is formed, not visible from the front view of the picture frame, and the terminal portions of the extension are curled rearwardly and inwardly to define two rolled surfaces, 150, and 15b as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It will be noted that this is a compact unobtrusive assembly and does not detract from the appearance of the gallery or the masking cover.

It will be noted that the edge portions of gallery 13 are rather sharp and irregular, hence, can readily scratch the surface of a table T, on which the picture frame is placed. Therefore, decorative mask 12 is employed not only to cover the miter joints 11a, but to offset edge portion 14 of gallery 13 from table surface T. As shown in FIG. 4, miters 11a are visible in the rear view, but are concealed in the front view, FIG. 3.

An easel leg 16 (FIG. 2) is afiixed to the backing of the frame by conventional means, and serves to support the frame in the slightly inclined, upright position. The picture frame then rests on easel leg 16 and the two roller surfaces 15a and 15b, hereinabove described, thus eliminating any possibility of scratching or otherwise marring the table surface T, or the like upon which the picture frame rests.

By conventional means well known in the art, leg 16 is provided with a triangular outer end (not shown) and is adapted to support the picture frame eitherin the normally vertical or the normally horizontal position. In either case, roller surfaces 15a or 15b will provide the necessary slide bearing support members.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain adjustments and constructions, which may be varied within the scope of the claims hereof, which define the invention herein disclosed' What is claimed is: 1

1. A rectangular picture frame constructed of sheet metal and provided at each corner thereof with a mitered joint diagonal to the adjacent sides of the said frame; a rectangular gallery mounted upon and extending generally outwardly and forwardly of said picture frame, said gallery provided at each corner with a mitered joint diagonal to the adjacent sides of the said frame, said gallery mitered joints being generally longitudinally aligned with the miter joints associated with said picture frame to define four mitered corner assemblies; a masking cover disposed over each of said four mitered corner assemblies respectively, and adapted to conceal said miter joints of said picture frame and said miter joints of said gallery from the frontal view, said masking cover having a portion projecting outwardly of said frame gallery on two sides, terminal portions of said outer portion being turned rearwardly and inwardly to form rolled surfaces on said two sides, said rolled surfaces defining slide bearings, whereby the said gallery and picture frame can be supported on either of said two sides on said slide bearings.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said rolled surfaces on said two sides are at substantially right angles to each other, and wherein said rearwardly turned portions are formed with a miter configuration at said right angle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 636,592 Turner Nov. 7, 1899 2,757,469 Knudsen Aug. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,719 Germany Nov. 17, 1910 

1. A RECTANGULAR PICTURE FRAME CONSTRUCTED OF SHEET METAL AND PROVIDED AT EACH CORNER THEREOF WITH A MITERED JOINT DIAGONAL TO THE ADJACENT SIDES OF THE SAID FRAME; A RECTANGULAR GALLERY MOUNTED UPON AND EXTENDING GENERALLY OUTWARDLY AND FORWARDLY OF SAID PICTURE FRAME, SAID GALLERY PROVIDED AT EACH CORNER WITH A MIETED JOINT DIAGONAL TO THE ADJACENT SIDES OF THE SAID FRAME, SAID GALLERY MITERED JOINTS BEING GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED WITH THE MITER JOINTS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PICTURE FRAME TO DEFINE FOUR MITERED CORNER ASSEMBLIES; A MASKING COVER DISPOSED OVER EACH OF SAID FOUR MITERED CORNER ASSEMBLIES RESPECTIVELY, AND ADAPTED TO CONCEAL SAID MITER JOINTS OF SAID PICTURE FRAME AND SAID MITER JOINTS OF SAID GALLERY FROM THE FRONTAL VIEWS, SAID MASKING COVER HAVING A PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF SAID FRAME GALLERY ON TWO SIDES, TERMINAL PORTIONS OF SAID OUTER PORTION BEING TURNED REARWARDLY AND INWARDLY TO FORM ROLLED SURFACES ON SAID TOW SIDES, SAID ROLLED SURFACES DEFINING SLIDE BEARINGS, WHEREBY THE SAID GALLERY AND PICTURE FRAME CAN BE SUPPORTED ON EITHER OF SAID TWO SIDES ON SAID SLIDE BEARINGS. 